


Sister and Sister

by fanetjuh



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, F/M, Jon Snow is a Targaryen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-27
Updated: 2018-05-27
Packaged: 2019-05-14 13:23:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14770428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fanetjuh/pseuds/fanetjuh
Summary: Once Upon A Time in the far away Kingdom of Westeros Sansa and Arya Stark lived a life no one should live under the watchful eye of Cersei Lannister, who couldn't care less about any of the children.*A retelling of the lesser known fairy tale "brother and sister" as written down by the brothers Grimm with Sansa as the eldest sister, Arya as the youngest, Jon as the king and Cersei as the evil witch. ps. In this fairytale things get worse before they get better, but I do promise a happy end!*





	Sister and Sister

**Author's Note:**

  * For [FedonCiadale](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FedonCiadale/gifts).



> This was written for the Jonsa Exchange organized on Tumblr. The theme was "fairytales and myths" and since this fairytale is so unknown, but very close to my heart I wanted to gift it to the Jonsa community. I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I've always done and I hope I did the story justice.

Once Upon A Time in the far away Kingdom of Westeros Sansa and Arya Stark lived a life no one should live under the watchful eye of Cersei Lannister, who couldn't care less about any of the children.

Each morning Sansa woke up before the first bird could start singing its song to wake up the sun from its slumber. She heated up the fire in the kitchen and prepared breakfast for the evil witch and her three children. And each morning, when pearls of sweat covered Sansa's forehead and the mother and her three children had finally woken up, she was only met with impossible demands and unthankfulness. 

Arya's fate wasn't much better. She was forced to sleep in the stables surround by the smell of horses and the constant fear of bandits breaking in to gather safe passage through the castle. Every time she dared to ask for any food for herself or clean water to drink, she was told that the food and water that was good enough for those noble animals, was already way more than she deserved. 

One day, when the eldest son of Cersei was not capable of holding his hands to himself, Sansa decided that she had had enough. Apart from her sister there was nothing of worth she possessed and therefore she sneaked out of the castle in the middle of the night. 

Cersei was deeply asleep, unaware that Sansa Stark would have the courage to escape this castle into the wilderness and the woods filled with wild animals and banned humans, and her children were dreaming wonderful dreams of their possible futures. 

Sansa woke up her sister in the stables and for a moment they contemplated stealing one or two of the horses. But Sansa was aware of the power Cersei possessed and she knew that Cersei cared more about the horses than them. Without the horses, Cersei might give up her search for the girls eventually. With the horses, Cersei wouldn't rest until those animals had returned to her, whether or not that meant killing the girls. 

With nothing but each other they eventually sneaked through the gate, into the darkness and the woods. They walked as fast as their feet could carry them, holding onto each other's hands while they tried to explain every sound they heard. 

And when the sun started to rise and the sisters were far away from the castle, Cersei Lannister woke up everyone in the castle with an angry scream. Rage raced through her veins, aware that even her powers wouldn't be able to tell her where exactly Sansa and Arya had gone. She was however determined to stop them from living a happy life neither of them deserved. Quickly she gathered her iron kettle, a sample of fresh water from one of the lakes nearby, strands of hair from all the different animals that roamed the woods, salie to bind all the ingredients together and her spellbook. And within a few sentences she cursed all the water in the entire kingdom of Westeros, to turn the first sister that drinked from it into a wild animal, that would be hunted down by the royal army of the Targaryen king for sports.

Sansa and Arya were unaware of the danger waiting for them and when they woke up from the slumber they had allowed themselves to recover from their nightly escape they searched for the nearest lake or stream to lessen their thirst. 

It was Sansa who heard the soft whispers of the water. 

"Whoever drinks from me, will turn into a lion."

Quickly Sansa grabbed her sister's shoulder and pulled her away from the cold water. "Don't drink from it, please." She shook her head. "We will find another pool to drink from, I promise."

Arya, consumed by her thirst, reluctantly agreed, and with their hands once more holding on to each other they walked deeper and deeper into the woods. During their walk they didn't say a word to each other. They were both afraid of Cersei's wrath and the dangers that were now surrounding them, but they couldn't go back either. They wouldn't even know the right path leading them back to Cersei's castle. They would even go as far as stating that maybe dying here in the wilderness was much better than being forced to live another day of the miserable life they had left behind. 

When they eventually found a small pond, Arya already kneeled down and filled her hands with the dirty water. 

But once again Sansa heard the cursed water whispering.

"Whoever drinks from me, will turn into a boar." 

Once more she grabbed her sister's shoulder and pulled her back, away from the cursed water. "Don't drink from it, please." Sansa's throat was dry, but her fear to lose her sister was much worse than the pain of needing water. "We will find another pool to drink from, I promise."

Arya protested, assuring her sister that without drinking water they would die, but when Sansa refused to give in Arya reluctantly stood up again and followed her sister to who knew where.

After a while though her feet got tired and the lack of both sleep and water started to take its toll. When she heard a waterfall crashing down into a lake, she ran away from her elder sister and kneeled down. She filled her hands with cold water and splashed it in her face before she filled her hands with cold water again and took a few sips. 

When Sansa reached the lake she didn't see the familiar face or her sister anymore, but she found a giant wolf staring at its paws. "O, Arya..." Sansa rushed towards the wolf, understanding what must have happened and she wrapped her arms around her sister. "If only you had waited for me to tell you if it was safe to drink or not..."

"I'm sorry..." The wolf spoke and Sansa tightened her grip around her little sister.

"I will take care of you. I will make sure nothing happens to you. I will find us a place where we can live the rest of our lives together." Sansa turned her face to the water. The whispers she expected to hear were gone now and Sansa stared at her sister once more before she allowed herself to take a few sips. She waited a few seconds, a few minutes, but nothing happened and eventually she allowed herself to drink as much as her stomach could handle.

Next to her the wolf did the same and once their bellies were filled with water they continued their journey through the woods. 

They could no longer walk hand in hand, but not once did Arya race away from her sister and not once did Sansa contemplate to leave her sister alone. 

And eventually their patience was rewarded. They found a small house, hidden behind the trees and next to a small lake. The house was deserted, left years ago, but it had everything the two girls needed to survive. 

During the day Arya ran freely through the woods. She enjoyed her new found speed and chasing after the smaller animals, which she returned to her sister so they could enjoy their meal together.

Sansa collected fruits, nuts and berries and cleaned the place that was becoming more theirs with each day that passed. 

But, it didn't take long for the men of the King's watch to discover the giant wolf that was roaming the woods. None of them dared to aim at the wolf, deciding that the only man worthy enough to hunt down an animal that pretty and beautiful was King Jon himself. 

King Jon gathered all his men and horses. He carried a golden bow and arrow and a silver knife dangled around his waist. After the stories his men had told him, he was curious to see the majestic creature for himself and once their big hunting party had found the wolf he was not the slightest bit disappointed. 

He forced his horse to run faster and faster, after the wolf that was now running through the woods as if it knew exactly where it was going. But Jon was not far behind it and he witnessed how the wolf stood still in front of the door of a small cottage he had not seen before.

"Dearest sister, please, it's me. Let me in!"

The door of the cottage was opened by the most beautiful girl Jon had ever seen. Her long red hair almost reached her waist. She wore the kindest and warmest smile and the love in her eyes warmed Jon's heart, even though it was not aimed at him. 

He had to meet this girl. He had to know her name. He had to see that smile for himself. He had to try to win her heart so she would look at him like she was looking at that wolf, but when he knocked on the door no one answered. When he knocked again he heard soft crying and then he decided that if he wanted to meet this girl, he had to come up with a plan to trick her into letting him in.

And therefore he gathered all his men and horses again the next day, but instead of hunting down the wolf, he went straight to the small cottage in the wood and with a high pitched voice he imitated the wolf he was supposed to be chasing. "Dearest sister, please, it's me. Let me in!"

Within less than a second the door was opened and the red haired girl widened her eyes when she saw the king, with the golden crown glimmering in the sunlight, standing before her. "Where's Arya? You didn't hurt her, did you?"

The king lifted his hands up and shook his head. "I assure you that all my men have been ordered to leave the wolf alone." He slowly dropped his hands again and he shamelessly let his eyes wander over Sansa. "I saw you yesterday when you opened the door. I had to meet you."

Sansa forced her lips to smile, deep down still afraid that this was a trick from the woman she and her sister had tried to escape. "Did Cersei sent you?"

"Cersei?" The king frowned his eyebrows. "No one sent me, my lady. I came here because my heart wanted me to." 

Sansa hesitated for one more moment and then she opened the door a little further to invite the king in. "I'm afraid I don't have much to offer." She was all of a sudden way too aware of the old clothes she wore, ripped and shredded and covered in mud and dirt. She was aware of the old furniture that almost fell apart and that could never please a king. She was aware of her sister, still roaming the woods with the men of the king chasing her. 

"There is nothing I want from you, apart from your hand in marriage." The king kneeled down in front of Sansa and he bowed his head while he reached for her hand. "I know we haven't met yet. I know you don't know me and I don't know you. But never have I ever been this sure of something. I hope you want to be my wife, so I can give you everything you've never gotten, but do deserve."

Sansa swallowed, but she felt her heart in her chest picking up speed, as if it finally came to life again. And just like the water had warned her for the dark magic Cersei had casted, the trees now whispered that this was the magic of love and that she should accept it. "But only if Arya can accompany us. I won't part with her. Never."

The king stood up again. "You, my lady, will get everything you desire and so will Arya, the majestic wolf, who will be allowed all privileges for as long as you both shall live."

 

And king Jon kept his promise. He gave Sansa the most beautiful wedding one could imagine. He dressed her in white silk, woven by magical spiders that didn't trade their powers with anyone but those they considered worthy. He gifted her a gold crown, that glimmered in her red hair and made to everyone who ever had the pleasure to meet her known that this was their queen.

And each night the king worshipped the red haired orphan both in words and deeds. He touched her sensitive skin with his rough hands. He whispered sweet compliments in her ears and she answered the thousand questions Jon asked her as honestly and truthfully as possible. 

And she asked him a thousand questions in return. She learned that his favorite color was black. She smiled when he told her that he was willing to die for those he loved with whole his heart. She fell more and more in love with the king, who cared more about the other people in his kingdom than he cared about himself. 

And Arya Stark, trapped in the body of a wolf was allowed to roam freely through the castle and the woods in all the land. She showed the men of the king where to find the most desirable prays. She played with all the children who had the courage to come near enough to touch her fur. She spread all the news and important messages, gaining love and respect all through the kingdom of Westeros. 

And every evening, when Arya returned home to the castle she told about her many adventures while Sansa wrote all those stories down.

For a little while they were happy. Happier than they had ever been and happier than they had ever hoped to be. But their happiness had also been noticed by Cersei Lannister and it had unlocked a rage that couldn't compare with any madness anyone had ever felt before.

But Cersei Lannister was patient. She refused to waste any of her chances to end the lives of the Stark girls for once and for all. She refused to waste the future of her children on a whim.

And therefore she waited and she waited until news of the expectancy of Sansa's first child reached the castle on the other end of the royal woods. Having carried three children herself, Cersei knew how much care and help both the queen and her soon to be born little prince or princess would need and therefore she decided to present herself as a caring nurse who only wanted the best for both her beloved queen and the baby. 

She made sure to look the part. She altered her face, so the young queen wouldn't recognize her. She asked one of her personal nurses all her questions so her knowledge of her new task was outstanding. And she tricked Myrcella, her only daughter, into joining her by assuring her that Cersei was only attempting to righten the mistakes she had once made towards the Stark sisters.

And both the king and the queen, just like the giant wolf, fell for the convincing story of the experienced nurse with her daughter traveling all the way to the capital of Westeros to pledge her loyalties and services. They offered the nurse and her daughter to share their food in the giant dining hall. They offered the nurse and her daughter comfortable large beds to sleep in at night. They offered the nurse and her daughter clothes that fitted their new position and jewelry to show everyone in the kingdom that they were associated with the king and queen.

And for months Cersei played her part more than well. She smiled when she was supposed to smile. She rushed towards the young queen to assist her, even before the young queen could have asked for any help. She ordered the sewers to fill an entire closet with clothes suited for a young prince or princess. She had Myrcella convinced that the darkness in her heart had disappeared for good. She had the king and queen convinced that their well being was more important than her own.

But she showed her true nature, and the true cause of her trip to the royal castle of Westeros, right after the eldest son of the young king and queen was born. After she had carried his tiny body to his crip, she ordered her daughter to warm the bath for the young queen to refresh herself. 

But while Sansa made herself comfortable in the bathtub, Cersei set in motion her evil plan to end the happily ever after Sansa had found here with king Jon for once and for all. She locked all the doors and heated the fire. She ignored Sansa's screaming. She ignored Myrcella's begging. She heated the fire more and more until Sansa Stark couldn't breath any more. Until all the water her body was holding was gone. Until her last breath left her lungs and what was left of her burned to ashes while Cersei let the flames consume Sansa's flesh. 

"Mother!" Myrcella shook her head in disbelief, but Cersei grabbed her daughter's throat and lifted her off the floor. 

"Sansa Stark was unthankful. We gave her everything and instead of giving us anything back, she ran off and stole your chance to marry the king." Cersei hissed between her barely closed teeth and she didn't even flinch when the sharp nails of her fighting daughter pierced the skin of her hands. "She doesn't deserve the king, but you do. And I'll make sure you get him." 

Myrcella's eyes widened, but she stopped fighting. Her cheeks were now as bluish as her lips and just when she started to get afraid she would pass out on the floor her mother put her down.

"Will you listen to me and do what I say? Or do you prefer ending in the same state as the former queen?" 

The young maiden shook her head and she closed her eyes while her mother used her magic to make her look like Sansa Stark. The only thing Cersei couldn't alter were the girl's eyes. But since the young queen had just brought a little boy into the world, there was no need for Myrcella to keep her eyes open whenever the king was near. All she had to do was pretending to be exhausted and asleep. 

But that night, when the king had finally fallen asleep with a smile on his face, Arya Stark woke up from her slumber. She heard a strange sound and smelled a strange but somehow still familiar smell. On the tips of her toes, even more quietly than she had ever done before, she walked through the halls of the castle until she noticed the ghost of her sister leaning over the sleeping body of her king.

"Oh my king. How I enjoyed our time together. How I loved being yours. Three nights is everything that's given to us. Three nights and I'll have to kiss you farewell." 

Arya frowned her eyebrows and her heart almost stopped beating in her chest while she followed the soaring body of her sister to the room where her new born boy was consumed by his first dreams. 

"Oh my child. How I wished I could have gotten to know you. Three nights is everything that's given to us. Three nights and I'll have to leave you behind until you're old enough to find me again." Then Sansa turned around and her eyes met Arya's. A tear rolled down her see through cheek and she stretched out her hand to touch her sister's nose. "I'm happy to know that I never had to spend a day without you, my wolf." She paused. "I've been given three nights to say my goodbyes. Promise me you'll be there tomorrow?" 

The wolf nodded and when the ghost had disappeared Arya walked back to her usual place near the fire to fall asleep.

When she woke up from her slumber the next morning she was convinced that all of this had been nothing but a dream. She greeted the king, greeted the new born baby and she even greeted the sleeping woman in the bed. 

But after an entire day of roaming the woods. And after a huge meal that filled her stomach. Arya was once again woken up in the middle of the night. This time she heard that the sound waking her up was the sound of soft crying and when Arya reached the bedroom of the king, she saw once again how a see through version of her sister was sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Oh my king. How I enjoyed being your wife. How I loved kissing your scars and pain away. two nights is everything that's still given to us. Two nights and I'll have to kiss you farewell." She pressed a soft kiss on the king's forehead and then she once again soared to the little crip where her baby boy was asleep.

Arya followed her and the sadness on Sansa's face broke the wolf's heart. 

"Oh my boy. How I wished I could have seen you grow and blossom into the wonderful king you will be. Two nights is everything that's still given to us. Two nights and I'll have to leave you behind until you're old enough to find me again." She also kissed the boy's forehead and then she turned around once more to face her sister, trapped in the body of a wolf. "You've never just been a sister. You've also been my very best friend, my wolf." She paused. "I've been given two nights to say my goodbyes. Promise me to be there one more time tomorrow?"

Arya nodded once more, but instead of walking back to her usual sleeping place next to the fire she wandered through the castle. She visited the king, asleep in his bed, his dark curls spread out on his pillow. She visited the royal baby, twisting and turning and almost waking up because he was hungry and begging for milk. And then she visited the girl in the bed. 

The girl, asleep on her side with her hands folded under her head, looked peaceful. Almost too peaceful for someone too ill to get out of bed during the day just yet. 

Arya walked a little closer. The smell surrounding the girl in the bed was slightly different from the usual smell surrounding Sansa and when her tongue licked the girl's hand and the eyes of the girl flashed open Arya all of a sudden understood what had happened.

That evening, when Sansa wandered through the castle, she didn’t find her precious king Jon in his bed. She felt her heart shatter in a thousand pieces, because this was her very last chance to say goodbye to him and now that chance was taken from her. With a heavy heart and tears burning in her eyes she made her way to her baby’s crib. Carefully she lifted her baby up and she rocked him back and forth in her tender arms.

“Sansa?” Jon appeared next to her and for a brief second their eyes met. “What happened to you?” He shook his head and he placed his hands on her shoulders. 

Sansa couldn’t fight her tears any longer and while Jon held her and the baby in a strong embrace she told him about Cersei, the woman who had pretended to care for them, but had never loved them. And she told about the game they had played while Sansa was vulnerable.

It didn’t take long for Jon to start crying along. His warm salted tears fell on Sansa’s shoulders. “I knew something was wrong. I knew that girl in the bed wasn’t you. You’re Sansa, my Sansa. You’re the love of my life. You’re my queen.”

And in that moment the Gods, both the old Gods and the new, granted Sansa the greatest gift the Gods could ever give a human. They allowed her to return from the death, to enjoy a long and happy life with king Jon and their baby boy, to live again as if she had never been taken away in the first place.

The first of her tasks was sending Myrcella to a monastery, far away from her family. Her second task was burning Cersei alive on the market square. And the moment Cersei’s body was nothing but dust and ash anymore, Arya was no longer trapped in the body of a giant wolf.

Now the sisters were finally truly reunited again. And now queen Sansa could take back her rightful place next to her loving and beloved king Jon.

And they lived happily ever after.


End file.
